High school production of ‘Carrie: The Musical’ outrages parents

Stephen King’s acclaimed novel “Carrie” wasn’t a blissful stroll in the park, and that’s what has so many parents riled up at a Detroit-area school.

High school to produce controversial play (Photo from handout / McClatchy – Tribune News service)

Fox News reports Farmington North High School is putting on a production of “Carrie: The Musical” based on the 1970 film of the same name, minus the musical part.

Some parents aren’t taking the news well.

“When I heard [the upcoming production] was a musical version of ‘Carrie,’ I was dumbstruck,” parent Julie Devine said. “I thought, ‘How arrogant, how insensitive and how reckless to put on a show that ends with a mass murder in a high school gym’.”

But school officials are defending their decision, saying the upcoming play is topical and has important messages regarding bullying and non-acceptance.

“The musical Carrie provides us a fantastical lens through which to examine and spur thought about the origin and impact of bullying, the impact of mental illness, and the choices we make about how we treat each other,” Principal Joe Greene said in a statement to WXYZ-TV.

Below is gallery of the best and worst Stephen King films, according to Rotten Tomatoes.